Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with the humble sandwich a couple of times a week but when you’re trying to introduce more variety into your family’s diet, it’s good to have some other options on hand too.

So here’s 20 of my favourite healthy and filling recipe ideas to liven up your child’s lunch box this new school year!

These little frittatas are a lunchbox hit! Enjoy them cold in the lunchbox or hot as an easy dinner, whatever way you eat them, these noodle and veggie frittatas are super yummy and so easy to make! These are perfect for upping your lunchbox game and making something fun and different that the kids will love.

Easy one-bowl Savoury Pizza Muffins, perfect for the kids’ lunch boxes or as an afternoon snack! These lunchbox muffins are so easy to make, all the ingredients are mixed together in one bowl and then baked in a muffin tin in the oven.

5 ingredient eggy quinoa cups are perfect for the lunchbox! If your kids aren’t fans of quinoa, this might be a good starter recipe, as it is absorbed by the eggs and the flavour of the cheese, just making them a little crunchier than quiche.

These frittata fingers are packed, not only with cherry tomatoes, but also peas and peppers. Eggs are a really nutritious source of protein, making a healthy and delicious lunch. If you want to make these frittata fingers ahead of time, they can be cooled and then kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Super easy to make and packed with mixed vegetables, these Veggie Pizza Puff Pastry Roll Ups are sure to go down a treat. These Pizza Roll Ups are absolutely delicious eaten still warm but they also taste great the next day too and make the perfect lunchbox treat!

All kids love food shaped liked balls. Think about it, bliss balls, meatballs, they have kid appeal and these salmon and veggie balls are no different. Combining some of our favourite flavours, they have major kid approval! And, they go on skewers in the lunchbox, and we all know that food on a stick is a major winner for kids!

These Ham & Cheese Wraps and folded up like mini burritos and dry fried quickly to make them melting on the inside but soft and warm on the outside. So delicious and perfect for lunch at home or a packed lunch at school!

These are an upgrade from your usual mini pizza bases. And they are easy to make and gluten free. The brown rice mini pizzas also freeze well so they are perfect for back to school! Top them how you like, knowing that the base is super healthy.

Feel free to get creative! This cheesy vegetable muffins recipe is versatile in that you can use whatever veggies you happen to have in the fridge at the time, so feel free to experiment with the ingredients to your own tastes and what you have on hand.

Packed full of protein from eggs and cheese and with lots of added veggies, this nutritious lunch will help keep kids full all afternoon. Serve it with wholemeal bread or pitta bread for some slow release carbs and some raw veggie sticks on the side.

Delicious savoury muffins packed full of vegetables like spinach and peppers. As well as being super delicious, these savoury muffins are really easy to make. Everything can be mixed in one bowl by hand so there’s no special equipment required.

These muffins are tasty yet mild, perfect for little taste buds. I used broccoli and courgette / zucchini in my recipe but I often use other veg depending on what I have in my fridge. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover cooked veg that you have hanging round!

Hi, I'm Ciara! I'm a food writer and cookbook author and I'm always looking for new ways to make food fun and interesting for kids! I specialise in fussy eating and share tips and tricks to get your kids eating better along with lots of family friendly recipes. Read More…